American Apparel strengthens its management team

American Apparel, the fashion retailer founded by the infamous Dov Charney, has announced two new leadership appointments. Thoryn Stephens has been named Chief Digital Officer, a newly created position, and Cynthia Erland has been named Senior Vice President of Marketing.

“I am excited to welcome Thoryn and Cynthia to the Company,” said Paula Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of American Apparel. “Both are innovators with deep expertise working with established brands. They will be an important addition to our experienced, creative, and passionate team.”

In his newly created position as Chief Digital Officer, Stephens will be responsible for optimising the company‘s digital marketing, data analytics, and e-commerce strategies. Prior to joining the Company, Stephens was Vice President of data science at Tillster, a specialist in customer engagement programs for the restaurant industry. He has also built products and platforms for some of the world‘s largest brands, including the first optimisation program for the Fox Network Group and Beachbody. Stephens is also a published scientist, and previously a molecular biologist in the biotech industry.

Erland will oversee the company‘s marketing and communications programs, and is a seasoned marketing executive with over 20 years of fashion and entertainment branding experience. Most recently, she was a Senior Marketing Executive at Perry Ellis International, C&C California, Universal Studios and E! Networks. Erland has built a consistent track record of driving successful brand recognition through advertising, public relations, digital media, celebrity seeding, promotions and events.

Both Stephens and Erland will assume their roles on March 9, 2015 and will report to CEO Paula Schneider has already set the wheels in motion for improvements at American Apparel. Last month she told Forbes that she intends to make sure what we have in stores and what we have online is selling at a rate that is acceptable. If not, don‘t do that [product] anymore and make sure you put in things that are the brother, sister, mother of whatever it is that‘s really trending from a style standpoint.”